I wish I had raised chickens when my kids were little. My grandkids absolutely love feeding the chickens and collecting eggs. It is a wonderful learning experience and it gives children something to do. As they get older, they can be a great help in taking care of them and it can give them a sense of accomplishment. And the fresh eggs that they lay are wonderful to eat! Chickens come in all shapes and sizes, many different colors and breeds. They can live outside, even in the cold winter temps. They will often eat treats right out of your hands. If you have a little bit of land and your township allows it, raising chickens can be a wonderful experience for the whole family ! The eggs can come in all different colors, white, tan, brown, green and blue ! All the different colors of chicken eggs taste the same, but farm fresh eggs are much tastier than store bought ones. Many people start their chicken adventures in late winter/early spring, so that the chicks are old enough to go outside when the temps warm up. Small chicks need a heat source, either their mama, or a heat lamp or heat plate. When they are fully feathered, they can go outside into a coop with no heat. Most chickens will start laying eggs around 6 months old, and will lay eggs for quite a few years. They have to be kept in a chicken coop, or something that is safe, so predators do not hurt them. They can free range in the daytime, if you are nearby so neighboring dogs do not hurt them, or predators, and when they free range, they love to eat bugs and insects. They can really be a fun addition to the family !!! More to come in future articles, so Keep watching ! Next week when I will talk about hatching eggs with an incubator !
